*May 2011. GHP would like to announce the addition of HONR 3380 Honors Practicum Course and an Honors Minor! Honors practicum allows students to take a honors practicum within their respective disciplines. Details on the requirements of completing a minor in Honors will be posted soon.

*Spring 2011. Dr. Buckman, GHP Director, was elected as President of the Great Plains Honors Council (GPHC) for 2011-2012.

*July 2010. GHP Handbook. GHP has issued a new program handbook. Please click here to access it.

*Honors Contracts for Summer II are due July 23, 2010. You may find the paperwork for an honors contract by clicking here.

*June 9. 2010. GHP Director, Dr. Ken Buckman, awarded the Regent's Award for Outstanding Teaching in The University of Texas System! Congratulations to Dr. Buckman for this prestigious award! This award is offered in recognition of those who serve undergraduate students in an exemplary manner.

*April 16, 2010. Guerra Honors Program Recognition Ceremony. The Guerra Honors Program, in conjunction with the Office of the Provost, held a ceremony on April 16th to honor 2010 GHP graduates. Students were awarded medallions for their commitment to excellence and were honored by the Director of GHP, faculty, family, friends, and fellow GHP members.

The Dora E. Saavedra, Ph.D., Director's Excellence Award, was awarded to Norma A. Herrera for the most outstanding honors thesis presentation.

GHP would like to thank all those who attended and have honorably supported the Guerra Honors Program.

Honors Thesis Posters at the Entrance of the Event

Awarding of Medallions

Guerra Honors Program Graduates

Norma A. Herrera, Recipient of the Dora E. Saavedra, PhD, Director's Excellence Award

*April 16, 2010 HON Induction Ceremony. Eta Omicron Nu (HON) inducted new members before GHP's Recognition Ceremony took place.

HON Lighting Candles

Dr. Buckman Inducting Students into HON

2010 HON Members

Gift Presented to Dr. Buckman from HON

*April 9, 2010 Guerra Honors Program Continues Excellence in Leadership in UTPA's Student Government. Congratulations to GHP member Alex Rodriguez for being elected as SGA President for the academic year 2010-2011! Leadership will be transferred over from current SGA President, and GHP member, Raghuveer Puttagunta.

*GHP Member Alex Rodriguez Presents "The POWER of a POSITIVE ATTITUDE." On March 10th in the Bronc Room at UTPA, Alex Rodriguez was the first student to host a workshop of his own entitled "The Power of a Positive Attitude." It was sponsored by the university and the Leadership Academy and included activities, videos, and numerous examples to explain how attitude plays an important role and can change lifestyles in a more positive way.  Alex discussed the definition of attitude, the steps to gain a better positive attitude, and how to put these steps into action. Alex stated, "I believe that, as student leaders, nothing is worth it until you share your knowledge to somebody else." The event had approximately 38 attendees, which was an impressive turnout during midterm week.

*February 2010. Friend of Honors Passes. Kathryn Dodd, lecturer from the Biology Department, passed away. Ms. Dodd was a very good friend of the Guerra Honors Program. She was not only deeply involved with teaching Biology Honors Courses but worked on many honors theses as either a chair or committee member, and she edited the honors theses from the Sciences, ensuring the quality and high standards we expect from our students. GHP would like to express our gratitude for her dedication to excellence in teaching and her commitment to quality undergraduate research.  Accept our condolences and deep remorse from the GHP community.  She will be in the prayers of very many of our students.

*February 12, 2010. GHP New Student Meeting! On Friday, Feb. 12th at 3pm in SBS 111, GHP held a meeting to welcome students who have recently been admitted into the Guerra Honors Program, which included an activity aimed at helping students learn about their fellow GHP members. In addition, information was provided about Eta Omicron Nu (HON) and RICH. GHP is planning to hold additional meetings in the future to help with various aspects of the honors program.

 

*February 3, 2010 GHP Students meet Lisa Ling! On Wednesday, February 3rd, at 8:30 a.m. in the University Ballroom, GHP students Stephanie Rico and Cynthia Tran met Lisa Ling at a breakfast reception held to honor Lisa Ling and to thank her for her public address that took place on campus the evening before.

Stephanie Rico stated, "A point that she stressed was travel. Nothing creates a more well-rounded person than a well-traveled person. The experiences gained from the situations that you are placed in, which can be potentially uncomfortable, cannot be taught in a classroom."

Cynthia Tran further mentioned that Ms. Ling "emphasized the importance of a broad education. Education has its foundations in the classroom but is furthered by studying abroad. She also mentioned that the most skilled professionals are those who are experts in their field but also possess worldly knowledge that enables them to relate their expertise."

*November 24, 2009 New GHP Brochure!  Located here.

*October 20, 2009: GHP Students Alex Rodriguez and Ashley Bose meet Steve Wozniak! Alex Rodriguez and Ashley Bose represented the Guerra Honors Program for the visit of Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple Computer Inc. and Chief Scientist, Fusion-IO.

A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple's first line of products, the Apple I and II, and influenced the popular Macintosh. For his achievements at Apple Computer, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America's leading innovators.

*October 17, 2009 The Heart of Experience, GHP Study Abroad Documentary, Won a Lone Star EMMY! The Lone Star Emmy's took place in Dallas, Tx on October 17th. The documentary filmed the Vienna, Prague, and Budapest Guerra Honors Program Study Abroad. Kudos to Chelse Benham and the Reel 2 Red Staff and the honors students involved! 

*October 2009: Honors at the Opera. Honors is set to show "Tosca" on Opera Night, which is set to take place on Wednesday, October 14th, beginning at 4:00pm in the Engineering Building, Room 1.300

*September 2009 Honors Study Abroad Documentary "The Heart of Experience" has been named one of six nominations from the state of Texas for a Lone Star Emmy! The awards ceremony is set to take place on October 17 at 4:30 pm at the Palladium Ballroom at Gilley's Dallas.

*September 2009 GHP Study Abroad 2010 will be to Italy!

New Requirements and Important Information Have Been Established. If you have any questions regarding these new requirements, please stop by the GHP Office!

• Student who attend must have already completed at least 1 Humanities course
• Students who haven't received honors study abroad scholarships in the past will receive priority for award consideration.
• Classes will be capped at 18
• The two classes that will be offered will be HONR 3388 and HONR 4388 (upper division Honors credit)
• Greater consideration will be given to students who can attend the entire length of the trip (The tentative dates of the trip are May 16th through June 5th, 2010)

 * Summer 2009 GHP Student, Jen Mendoza, Selected to Attend the Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institute (PIKSI) at Penn State.

The Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST), the American Philosophical Association, and the Penn and Philosophy Department sponsored the 2009 Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institute (PIKSI) which was housed at the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State. The institute was designed to encourage undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to consider future study in the field of philosophy. The theme for 2009 was “Philosophy: Experience, Reflection, Transformation."

Jen had the following to say about her experience:

"The seven-day institute was an intense and intimate experience. It was similar to a graduate seminar in that only twelve undergraduates and four graduate students attended. We investigated the evolving and transformative practices and reflections that create our philosophies. We also studied contemporary texts in feminist theory, critical race theory, queer theory and other non traditional work. PIKSI emphasized the importance of a greater inclusiveness and particiaption in the conversation of how philosophy impacts our lives and how we can contribute to the discourse by reflecting on our own experiences.

I look forward to graduate school because of this amazing experience and I only hope that the Guerra Honors Program can provide encouragement for future students of philosophy to do the same thing."

*August 2009 Thesis Defense Deadlines Have Been Announced! For honors program students who plan on graduating in Fall 2009, the last day to defend your thesis will be on Friday, November 20, 2009. The draft must be to the committee and director by November 6th. For students who plan on graduating in Spring 2010, the last day to defend will be Friday, April 9, 2010. The draft must be to the committee and director by March 26, 2010. All drafts must be submitted at least 10 working days before the defense date! Students who miss these deadlines will not be able to graduate that semester from the honors program.

* August 24, 2009 Honors Program Thesis Soon to be Published. Gemma Berlanga, who graduated from UTPA's Honors Program in Spring 2007, submitted her honors thesis titled "Isolating and characterizing arsenic-reducing bacteria and arsenic-oxidizing bacteria from the Lower Laguna Madre" to the Texas Journal of Science and received confirmation that it will be published within the next 3 - 6 months.

* August 6, 2009 Guerra Dedication Ceremony. A dinner and ceremony was held honoring the Guerra Family and the renaming of the honors program. The ceremony included many memebers of the Guerra Family and members of past and present administration: including President Dr. Charles Sorber, past presidents, Dr. Miguel Nevarrez and  Dr.Blandina Cardenas, and the current Provost/VPAA, Dr. Paul Sale. The ceremony included the presentation of a documentary on the Guerra family, which can be viewed on the GHP homepage entitled "The Guerra Honors Video"  ( http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/daa_home/honors_home ).  The unveiling of a plaque in honor of Rafael A. "Felo" and Carmen Guerra, after whom the Guerra Honors Program has been dedicated, is displayed in the Hall of Honor in the Student Services Building.

* May 10 - May 29, 2009 Honors Study Abroad a Success! GHP's study abroad to Turkey in May 2009 was among the most successful conducted by the University's Honors Program. It was also the only study abroad program that made money for the university this year. Nineteen students participated in a group led by Dr. Buckman and Professor Norman. Classes included Humanities I & II, Introduction to Philosophy, and Speical Topics in Philosophy.  The group visited two major cities: Istanbul and Izmir (the site of ancient Smyrna).  In addition, the group visited the ancient cities of Pergamum, Ephesus, Miletus (the birthplace of Philosophy), Dydima, Priene, and Heirapolis.  Students gave presentations that covered art, politics, history, philosophy, architecture, and science.  Among the presentations were lectures on Plato, Aristotle, the Walls of Theodosius, the Massacre at Smyrna, the Fall of Constantinople, Turkish Cuisine, Islam, The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.  Many of the presentaitons were given on site in ancient theaters of cities of Ancient Greece.

*May 5, 2009  Dr. Kenneth L. Buckman, Director for the Guerra Honors Program, was named a 2009 Piper Professor by the Minnie Stevens Piper foundation. Click here to read the article.

*February 17, 2009 U.T. Pan American: Approval of honorific naming of the University Honors Program as the Rafael A. "Felo" and Carmen Guerra Honors Program Recommendation The Chancellor concurs in the recommendation of the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for External Relations, and former President Cardenas that the U.T. System Board of Regents approve the honorific naming of the University Honors Program at U.T. Pan American as the Rafael A. "Felo" and carmen Guerra Honors Program.

Background Information The late Felo Guerra [Mr. Rafael A. "Felo" Guerra (1915-2005) and Mrs. Carmen Guerra (1920-2008) were part of one of Texas' pioneer ranching families, which has cattle brands and ranch holdings that date back to the early 1870s. The Guerras are remembered not only for their familiy's success in ranching and business, but also for their abiding generosity and strong commitment to higher education. THe family has demonstrated an abiding commitment to the education of the least advantaged through three centuries.

The Guerra Family has gifted more than  $2 million to U.T. Pan American. During the October 2006 U.T. Pan American Foundation Board meeting, a $1 million pledge to U.T. Pan American by the Guerra family was announced. Mr. A. R. "Felo" Guerra, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rafael A. "Felo" Guerra, told his fellow Board members that he and his family were honored to help the University. Remarking upon the great need in South Texas, he said that the many blessings afforded his family compelled them to follow the example set by their grandfather and father.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Felo Guerra have embraced their parents' philanthropic legacy. They also inherited their parents' passion for improving accessibility to higher education in South Texas. Managing a scholarship program over the past several years, they have awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships to students residing in the communities surrounding the Guerra ranch properties. Approximately 60% of those scholarship recipients elected to attend U.T. Pan American.

U.T. Pan American looks forward to renaming the University Honors Program no only to commemorate two oustanding members of the Guerra family, but also to inspire others throughout surrounding communities to support the University.

The proposed naming is consistent with the Regents' Rules and Regulations, Rule 80307, Section 5, relating to the honorific naming of programs.

*November 20, 2008 Minnie Stevens Piper Award The Faculty Senate would like to announce that Dr. Kenneth Buckman has been selected by faculty vote as the University of Texas-Pan American nominee for the prestigious Minnie Stevens Piper Award. Congratulations Dr. Buckman for this honor. In addition, congratulations to the other candidates for the fine portfolios they submitted. The quality of the candidates for this award continues to make the job of the screening committee challenging. Thank you all for your participation and your commitment to excellence.

*October 13 - 17, 2008  Student of the Week Congratulations to GHP student Cyrstal Rodriguez on being selected as UTPA's Student of the Week. http://ur.utpa.edu/sotweek/2008/crodriguez.html

*Mark your calendars.  On Friday, October 17th 2008, a preview viewing of the University Honors Program Documentary, "The Heart of Experience," will be shown.  This film records the transformative educational experience of study abroad.  The documentary is of interest to educators and students alike.

*The 2009 Honors Study Abroad will be to Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey.  In addition to seeing the marvelous sites of the Haigia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and the Topkapi Palace, student will be traveling to many of the Ancient Greek Cities that are part of Turkey's beautiful and scenic Aegean Coast.  Among the possible archaelogical sites to encounter are: a visit to Miletus, the city credited as being the birth place of philosophy; the city of the Iliad, Troy; the ancient city of Ephesus, among the best preserved sites of the ancient world, which also is the location of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis; the city of Bodrum, ancient Halicanarsus, itself the location of the Mausoleum, another wonder of the ancient world.  These and many other places will be visited on an exotic and education adventure.  Approximate dates are May 10 - May 30.  Students and others interested in Guerra Honors Program Study Abroad should contact Dr. Ken Buckman, Director,  at buckman@utpa.edu.

*National Collegiate Honors Council.  Dr. Buckman, Ms. Chelse Benham, Mr. Chris Ramirez, and Mr. Marco Setien will be attending the National Collegiate Honors Council in San Antonio, TX to present a veiwing of the University Honors Program Documentary, "The Heart of Exerience," October 24, 2008.  Dr. Buckman will also be part of a panel Developing in Honors, "Accreditation in Honors: Who Should Do It?" Thursday October 23^rd.  Additionally, Ms. Karla Miranda will moderate a session entitled "Crossing the Research Frontier: Making Connections from Day One," on Friday October 24, 2008.  Ms. Cynthia Miranda is moderating a session, "Scholar Recruitment via Organized Campus Visits: The National Scholar Visitation Program," Saturday, October 25, 2008.  It is quite obvious that the University of Texas Pan American will be well represented at this year's National Collegiate Honors Council.